# Penne Giardiniera

A buttery courgette pasta dish served with spinach and cheese balls, inspired by Antonio Carluccio's recipe.

- Cuisine: Italian
- Category: Drink
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- 700 g spinach
- 0.5 garlic clove, minced
- 1 egg
- 1 Pinch nutmeg
- 45 g Parmesan, grated
- 70 g breadcrumbs
- Salt
- pepper
- Vegetable oil
- Paper towels
- 500 g penne
- 80 g butter
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 20 g red chillies, chopped finely almost paste like
- 2 courgettes, grated
- 100 g Parmesan, grated
- 100 g Pecorino, grated
- 3 ladles pasta water

## Instructions

1. Sauté spinach in a little oil with a pinch of salt until wilted.
2. Mix spinach with garlic, egg, nutmeg, Parmesan, half breadcrumbs, salt & pepper.
3. Roll one test ball and fry in vegetable oil to adjust mixture if needed.
4. Shape remaining balls and fry until golden.
5. Drain spinach balls on paper towels and set aside.
6. Cook penne in salted water.
7. Reserve 2–3 ladles of pasta water, then drain the penne.
8. Sauté courgettes in a little olive oil and butter in a large pan for about 5 minutes.
9. Add garlic and chillies to the pan and cook until fragrant.
10. Add pasta water and stir to loosen.
11. Add pasta, mix in most of the Parmesan and Pecorino, and season.
12. Plate pasta, top with spinach balls.
13. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

## Equipment

- large pan

## Source

- Original video: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1JESHcSe1T/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/a7354402-b101-4fe4-aadc-5967c5c85681
- Extracted: 2026-04-22

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt